Category Archives: United Kingdom

Innovation not important, says science minister

EYE OF NEWT, Salem, Friday (NotScientist) — Science Minister David Willetts says Britain should give up this “science” rubbish and copy everyone else. “It worked for the … Well. I’m sure it worked for someone. Look, I have a business case here.”

Compact Fluorescent Fester LightbulbAs a professor of business with a degree in politics, Mr Willetts was the obvious choice to be responsible for science. “Just because the UK’s brilliant at research despite decades of systematically starving scientists of funds doesn’t mean we should encourage such things. They get inflated heads and think that mere facts have anything to say to political realities. Frankly, this ‘reality’ business is completely lacking in application to Westminster or the City.”

Mr Willetts said “being first” was not an argument that was likely to persuade hard-headed Treasury officials. “Just because Cambridge makes all its money from original science and engineering. Hardly the way we did it in Oxford, what!”

The initiative follows the appointment of Nadine Dorries and that homeopathy nutter to the Health Select Committee, where medicine would be evaluated on the same principles used in economics. “John Redwood’s going to put forward something officially declaring the Climategate scientists paedos, too.”

Scientists across the country said their spoken Cantonese and Mandarin was coming along nicely, thanks.

Journalists back to core competencies as house prices do something

HIGH SOCIETY, Skid Row, Friday (NTN) — British house prices are set to go up, go down or possibly stay the same, according to relieved Daily Mail journalists looking for something to fill space with.

A quarterly survey of 27 analysts showed house prices would probably do something that could be turned into copy, with editors dusting off the Microsoft Word macros they used to generate half the paper in 2007.

Analysts still believe newspaper space is overvalued and the forecasts are a far cry from the double-digit page area percentages seen in the boom years, but they will provide some relief to editors who saw thousands wiped from their real estate advertising income.

“We are not currently predicting a double dip,” said editor Paul Dacre, “but we should be able to ease up on the stories about immigrants and celebrities, only having to repeat them every third day instead of every other day.”

Mr Dacre stressed the importance of such news coverage to society and the nation. “With the thicker papers, you could more easily build a little house to live in next to your park bench.”

Climategate scientists inexplicably cleared

PHEW WHAT A SCORCHER, Global Warning, Thursday (NTN) — Climategate, announced in front-page headlines by every newspaper worldwide, has ended with the scientists involved being cleared of all accusations, as noted in passing in a single paragraph on the bottom of page 76 underneath the prostitute classifieds.

Arctic tourismSceptics were outraged that Dr Phil Jones of the University of East Anglia got his job back for no better reason than that he hadn’t actually done anything wrong.

“We are appalled and outraged,” said Lord Lawson of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, “after the resources we poured into getting this story about. The scientists’ failure to spend nine hours a day answering hundreds of Freedom Of Information requests from our supporters, just because they wanted to do their so-called ‘science’ instead, is prima facie evidence of their moral turpitude. Mismarking a graph from 1870 with temperatures 0.1 of a degree out probably indicates paedophilia as well.

“We have commissioned our own inquiry into the way these three inquiries were set up and run,” he said, “and, when we have the results written up in a week or two, we should be able to start calling witnesses in. I don’t know anyone among the critics who has been swayed by the first two. Perhaps if we were offered more money.

“We must stress again that this ‘science’ rubbish is held in vastly excessive regard and can only lead to a diminished quality of life for all of humanity, or a portion thereof. Christ, I might have to go back to the Tobacco Institute.”

Neo-Nazis protest co-option of English flag by football fans

BORE CONSTRICTOR, Vulvalezza, Monday (NTN) — White nationalist activists have come forth in record numbers (ten or so) to sternly protest the usurpation of the flag of St George by football fans.

St George’s Berlin Wall“Our noble emblem and gathering point has been stolen,” said racially-aware activist Nick Tyndale, “by Zionist World Cup marketers, suburban arseholes and kids and Paki shopkeepers. They even put them on their cars! Just as if it’s normal!”

The Aryan separatists had promoted the use of the flag when forbidden much of their traditional symbology in Germany, who recently introduced laws enforcing a minimum hair length, with government-provided Bundeshaar toupées for those claiming genetic disposition to baldness or some such rubbish.

The Nazis then adopted the Celtic cross, only to have it co-opted by hippies and crusties, who had “viciously stolen our symbol five hundred years before. Commie wankers.”

Desperate, they finally resorted to a Confederate “stars’n’bars” flag. “But people kept coming up and singing Primal Scream songs at my girlfriend.”

English Hindus offered a compromise, in which they would only use a version of the St George’s flag with an extra line at right angles on the end of each arm of the cross, to resemble an ancient Jainist symbol of good luck and well wishes. “But some people protested vociferously and feigned terrible upset. They must be some awful bigoted sort of persons.”

Times prepares to shake off parasites

DAS BUNKER, Whopping, Tuesday (Mediocre Grauniad) — The Times has previewed its new paywall system, to keep readers, search engines and other criminals from using it to download cars, to the sound of champagne corks popping at the Guardian, Telegraph and BBC.

Rupert Murdoch as GollumThe newspaper will now require payment of £1 a day for its unique and high-quality editorial viewpoints, as taken from the Sun and rewritten in big words. The site also blocks anyone under 18 from registering, in order to keep the paper’s quality demographic aging nicely.

“I firmly support this move,” said everyday citizen on the street and certainly not Guardian editor at all Alan Rusbridger. “In fact, it should be ten pounds a day. Ten pounds a story. Then people will really see it as high-quality merchandise and not rewritten press releases and news feeds with Mr Murdoch dictating the editorial page.”

“It’s ours,” said James Murdoch, frothing slightly. “You thieving bastards steal our copyright every time you save a copy into your heads! Well, we’ll fix your little wagon. It’s a pound a day plus a pound a copy behind your eyes plus a pound a copy you talk about with anyone else plus a pound a copy just fucking because. It’s for me and Dad and you can just fuck off. And when we buy the BBC we won’t let you watch that either. Arseholes.”

“OK, the champagne is Thunderbird Sparkling,” said Mr Rusbridger. “Times are tough, you know. But I have complete faith we’re on the right path and the Times is doomed. I told ’em, I told ’em. Spare fiddy pee for a Polly Toynbee column? God bless you, sir!”

“I am one hundred percent behind paying for quality journalism,” said free culture activist Hiram Nerdboy, 17. “That’s why I just gave fifty quid to Wikileaks.”

World ends with Torygeddon Lite

THE SEVENTH PERFORMING SEAL, London SW1A 0AA, Tuesday (NTN) — The Queen has booked eighties revival alternative comedy act Dave Cameron to entertain the populace with nostalgia for yesteryear, with special guest Nick Clegg as slapstick fall guy.

“Torygeddon Lite” opens tomorrow at 10 Downing Street, bringing you an authentic cheap imitation of those wonderful days of the 1980s that made Britain what it is today:

  • A general atmosphere of doom and futility producing SLIGHTLY BETTER punk rock, though without the promise of flaming nuclear death at any moment. “Obama just isn’t up for that sort of thing, though we’ll see what Mrs Palin can do.”
  • SOMEWHAT ANNOYED MINERS, now working in call centres, doing protest reenactments for old times’ sake.
  • ECONOMIC OBLIVION for the unemployed as, er, things continue as they already were.
  • Use of the ROYAL WE when talking to Her Majesty. “That’s me and Gideon. I mean, Nick!” (canned laughter)
  • The STYLE COUNCIL to reform.
  • BAD VEGETARIAN FOOD and AWFUL SANDALS courtesy Nick and his wacky cohort of friends.
  • OIL has just been discovered in the Falklands. “Muwaaahahahaha.”

“We’re making Paddy Ashdown defence secretary, so he can just go over and beat the living fuck out of the Taliban personally. I’ve also promised Nick I’ll proportionally represent him in the morning, and not just first-past-the-post, roll over and fall asleep.

“Furthermore, we absolutely promise to discontinue the previous act’s ID card infrastructure and Digital Economy Act,” said Mr Cameron, “just as soon as they’re no longer convenient to us. Cross my heart and call a commission of inquiry.”

Wrong lizards get in

CHANNEL 4, Bravo To Zero, Thursday (NTN) — On this momentous day for British democracy, the prey of the nation have flocked to the slaughter pens in record numbers to do their bit to make sure the wrong lizards are put into power over them.

“The new lizards are evil and malignant oppressors,” said prey Deadmeat Busybody, 77 (IQ), of East Cheam. “They tried to have us all rounded up and tagged! Well. We’ve put paid to them. The old lizards are due their place in the sun, and we’ll be very happy to have them back.”

“But you can’t trust the old lizards,” said prey Porkpie Busybody, 77 (IQ), of East Cheam. “I remember when they were in last time. They didn’t number us, they just slaughtered us wholesale not even keeping count! The current lizards are the only safe choice. Look at how green the fields have been the last decade!”

“There’s a third way,” said prey Butternutandpolentagnocchialforno Busybody, 77 (IQ), of East Cheam. “If enough of the prey get together, we can make sure the lizards change the rules on picking the next lizards so that the lizards the prey really want eating them get in. The lizards will have to work together on which prey they eat! The best of all possible lizards in all possible worlds.”

“Yer all wrong, we need to kick the for’n prey out,” said prey Fathitler Busybody, 77 (IQ), of Barking. “I’m a lizard, see? Not prey. I got a green hat wiv scales an’ a pointy tongue. I’ll jus’ put it in. I’m a lithard! Lithard! We goth th’ betht prey! Bether than th’ Euroth! Lithard!”

Your super soaraway NewsTechnica cut-out-and-paste election guide!

Reasons to vote Conservative: Replacing public services with volunteers and churches is necessary to inspire a new Charles Dickens.

Reasons to vote Labour: Top-down central planning of society works and is effective.

Reasons to vote Liberal Democrat: Everyone is middle-class now, they just don’t know it yet.

Reasons to vote Green: Science is a Big Pharma conspiracy and homeopathy works.

Reasons to vote Scottish National Party: Who?

Reasons to vote Pirate Party: Cheryl Cole could go back to stacking shelves for a living.

Reasons to vote Respect: You have none for yourself.

Reasons to vote United Kingdom Independence Party: We don’t want to become the new Belgium. Instead, we should become the new Albania.

Reasons to vote English Democrats: Because you’re too lame even to vote UKIP.

Reasons to vote British National Party: actually, you’ve got me there. There are no reasons to vote BNP.

“OUR ONLY HOPE”: that of Rebekah Brooks and Dominic Mohan not to be down the JobCentrePlus Friday morning.

Tories defend right of gay demons to vote Tory

THE MEMORY HOLE, Soho, Wednesday (Ponk News) — Controversial Conservative PPC Philippa Stroud has emphasised her belief in equality for the demons inside gay people. “Those demons are natural Tories and the backbone of our party.”

“In our Big Society™,” said David Cameron, “the rights of hellish unholy ghouls will be respected just as if they’re not ghastly abominations out to suck your soul out, destroy your mind with eldritch horror and sell you double-glazing and loan repayment insurance.”

Mrs Stroud pointed to her religious writings on the subject. “It is vital to a fair electoral system that there be votes not only for people, but for their most horrifying nightmares. We pray the demons out of these hom-o-sexuals, so that they may attend their nearest polling station tomorrow and cast their crucifix for the party of hopes, dreams and ambitions. The demons’, anyway.”

Mr Cameron will be staying up for thirty-six hours straight working up to and through the election. “I’ll sustain myself on the souls of unbaptised infants. Perfectly safe and legal, at least since the deregulation in the eighties.” Technicians will be on hand at all times in case of wiring failure or software glitches.

“We’re particularly hoping to get the tortured shade of Stephen Milligan back into the cabinet,” said Mrs Stroud. “Just don’t mention the tangerines.”

Phillippa Stroud will be working for the coming Tory government as a 100% sure-fire cure for heterosexuality.

Riots outside Relate offices as Christian therapist loses appeal bid

’LATE, Brizzle, Thursday (NTN) — A Relate counsellor’s sacking for refusing to counsel gay couples has been upheld, leading to Church of England members rioting and setting alight Relate offices across the country.

Gary McFarlane was sacked by Relate after it had refused to accommodate his sincere and deeply-held Christian beliefs that the Sodomite unbelievers should be stoned to death to burn in Hellfire for all eternity.

“Because of my Christian beliefs and principles,” said Mr McFarlane, “there should be allowances whereby individuals like me can actually avoid having to contradict their very strongly-held moral stance that these people should be set on fucking fire. Requiring us to treat Sodomites as human is as ridiculous as this ’round Earth’ theory.”

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey had earlier called for judges with a “proven sensitivity and understanding of religious issues” to hear the case, threatening “civil unrest” and “rivers of blood” over recent court decisions involving Christians having to behave in a halfway civilised manner in the workplace. “Comparing someone who wants to have all homosexuals horsewhipped with a ‘bigot’ is tantamount to genocide,” he said before leading a pitchfork-and-teacup-wielding mob to Relate Avon, with signs saying “BEHEAD ANYONE WHO SLANDERS CHRISTIANITY” and “GOSH DARN THAT FREE SPEECH.”

The riots have led to questions in Parliament on Christian immigration and a Jan Moir column in the Daily Mail on the dangers of the asylum process letting “these violent God-botherers” into Britain.

“This is all terribly upsetting,” said Abu Hamza al-Masri on Thought For The Day this evening. “Can’t we all just, you know, get along and be nice to each other? It’s worth a try!”